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After makings their official debut in several Asian markets last month, the Redmi 9A and 9C are finally launched in the global market during the Xiaomi Ecosystem product launch event today.
As a quick recap, the Redmi 9A is the most affordable model within the Redmi 9 series. The device features a 6.53-inches dewdrop-notch display which offers a decent HD+ screen resolution.
In the photography department, the Redmi 9A features a single 13 megapixels rear camera, alongside a 5 megapixels selfie camera at the front. Its rear camera will be assisted by a LED flash located slightly below it.
Under the hood, the Redmi 9A will be the first smartphone in the world to debut with the brand new MediaTek Helio G25 SoC which will be supported by 2GB of RAM and 32GB onboard storage which is further expandable via a microSD card.
To keep its lights on, the Redmi 9A will be fitted with a massive 5,000mAh battery at the helm which could support long hours of usages. In the global market, the Redmi 9A comes with an affordable starting price of just €99 (US$113).
Next up, we have the Redmi 9C which sits between Redmi 9A and Redmi 9 in terms of specs. Just like the Redmi 9A, the Redmi 9C also has a 6.53-inches HD+ dewdrop-notch display at the front.
In terms of imaging, the device sports a triple-cameras setup on its rear panel consisting of a 13 megapixels main camera along with an ultra-wide lens and a depth helper. This will be completed with a 5 megapixels selfie camera at the front.
It is powered by an upgraded MediaTek Helio G35 – the same SoC which could be found in the newly announced Realme C11. It will have 2GB of RAM and 32GB onboard storage in its memory department as well.
At the helm, the device draws power from a huge 5,000mAh battery. Coming to its pricing, the Redmi 9C carries a starting price of €119 (US$136) in the global market.


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Illinois Senate narrowly favors puppy lemon law
The measure won by a narrow vote — 31 “yes,” 18 “no” and 6 “present.”
At least 20 states have similar laws, commonly called “puppy lemon laws,” that outline legal remedies for pet buyers who discover their animal was seriously ill at the time of purchase.
To make a claim under the Illinois proposal, a new pet owner would have to present a written statement from a veterinarian that says the animal, at the time it was purchased, suffered from an undisclosed illness or condition that “adversely affects” the animal’s health.
New pet owners with a sick animal would have to act within 21 days after the date of sale — or within a year of sale for a claim based on a congenital or hereditary condition.
If a claim is successfully made, the proposal outlines three remedies. The owner can return the animal for a full refund, exchange the animal for another of comparable value, or keep the animal and be reimbursed for reasonable veterinary fees, not to exceed two times the purchase price.
The proposal also would require pet stores to alert the Illinois Department of Agriculture if a dog or cat became sick with an outbreak of distemper, parvovirus “or any other contagious and potentially life-threatening disease” and alert recent customers if the department issues a quarantine.
The original proposal from sponsor Sen. Dan Kotowski, D-Park Ridge, would have included sales by anyone, not just pet stores, but this was opposed by dog breeders.
Even the narrowed proposal was criticized — for not being applicable to animal shelters.
Opponent Sen. Dale Righter, R-Mattoon, argued that animal shelters should also be required to notify the Illinois Department of Agriculture of disease outbreaks.
“We are going to protect the consumers who have the money to pay $1,000 for a dog as a pet,” Righter said. “But what about all of those consumers who can’t afford that, so they are getting their pet from an animal shelter? They get no consumer protection under this bill.”
The measure, Senate Bill 1639, now goes to the Illinois House.

domain: news


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AdAge just released its 11th Hispanic Fact Pack, a 44-page guide about marketers, ad spending, demographic change and how Hispanics use digital media, and showed Hispanic media spending continuing to outpace general market spending.
Specifically, Hispanic media spending increased 8.1% to $83 billion compared to a modest increase of 0.9% in U.S. measured media spending.
The top 50 Hispanic marketers collectively increased their spending by 14% while the top spender, Proctor & Gamble, increased its Hispanic marketing spending by 39%.
In addition, revenues for Hispanic marketing agencies increased to $597 million, a 5.7% increase.
Read more and download the 11th Hispanic Fact Pack


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Spring has arrived in Pakistan. The weather has become warm. It has forced people to search for new clothing range for the spring and summer.
We all witness advertisement for laws when the weather gets warm. Now an impressive and eye catching advertisement of Sana Safinaz lawn has been air on TV channels. This ad is so good that people have started to talk about it.
The News has reported that this advertisement was shot in Thailand. The music of the ad was done by Shahi Hasan. They have used ravishing Neha for the ads. She is looking gorgeous in the colorful dress.


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The German neobank, which has 8 million customers, has chosen Austria as the first country to test its trading service.
German neobank N26 takes a step into cryptocurrencies. The bank has decided to partner with Bitpanda’s cryptocurrency exchange platform to launch a trading offering offering more than 100 cryptocurrencies.
“The launch of this investment product responds to a strong aspiration of N26 customers. In 2022, 40% of them indicated that they wanted to invest in cryptocurrencies”, emphasizes N26 in a press release.
In France in 2023
The offering is expected to arrive in other European countries in the first six months of 2023, including France, N26 confirmed to BFM Crypto.
“While cryptocurrencies have experienced a decline in value over the past year, they remain an attractive asset class, often the entry point for a new generation of investors,” said Jérémie Rosselli, CEO of N26. France and BeNeLux.
A time too late
Launched in 2015, N26 now has more than 8 million customers, including more than 2.5 million in France. N26 is not the first neobank to enter cryptocurrency trading.
In addition to the cryptocurrency trading offer launched a year ago by the French unicorn Lydia, it was Revolut, which in 2017 became the first global neobank to offer buying and selling cryptocurrencies on its platform.
This summer, the neobank with 18 million customers announced that it wanted to work on a decentralized wallet to store its cryptocurrencies. This wallet would bring in Revolut in particular a world of decentralized finance (DeFi).
Neobank N26 has detailed the fees applied depending on trading bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies. While N26’s fees are in line with what other neobanks like Revolut offer, they are still higher than what exchanges like Binance can offer today.


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For the last five years or so, the campus of Colombia’s Diversified Technical Education Institute of Monterrey Casanare has been home to a sweet black dog named Negro. There, he serves as a guardian of sorts, keeping watch over things as students go about their studies.
Early on in Negro’s tenure at the school, he came to be aware of the little store on campus where students gather to buy things on their breaks; sometimes they’d buy him cookies sold there.
This, evidently, is where the dog first learned about commerce — and decided to try it out himself.
“He would go to the store and watch the children give money and receive something in exchange,” teacher Angela Garcia Bernal told The Dodo. “Then one day, spontaneous, he appeared with a leaf in his mouth, wagging his tail and letting it be known that he wanted a cookie.”
Read more via thedodo.com.


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Ford has been talking for months about its plan to bring five electrified vehicles to market by 2013. The last remaining mystery about that lineup -- a plug-in hybrid whose name, shape, or size were long unknown -- was solved this morning, when Ford revealed its C-MAX Energi, a five-passenger plug-in that pairs a lithium-ion battery with an Atkinson cycle engine for a total range of 500 miles.
We’ve heard it said that electric cars make driving like using an iPhone app. It’s not true, but Ford’s choice of venue for the reveal of the Ford Focus Electric—the Consumer Electronics Show—probably won’t help change that perception.
An effort to help blind people drive cars has reached an important step -- driver awareness systems are now being integrated into a mass-production vehicle. Blind drivers will test-drive a specially outfitted Ford Escape in January at Daytona International Speedway, team members announced Friday.
In the past three years, the thought of companies like Chevrolet and Nissan selling lithium-ion-powered cars has gone from laughable to old news. Late this year, the plug-in Chevy Volt and pure-electric Nissan Leaf arrive. Carmakers from Ford to Toyota will follow in 2011 and 2012 with new electrified models of their own. In the beginning, the electric-car revolution probably won't seem so revolutionary: a few thousand cars here and there.
We cover all the bases: droolworthy visions, dramatic departures, genre-defining pioneers and true forehead-slappers (a nuclear-powered Ford sedan? Why not!).
By Wes SilerPosted 04.16.2010 at 11:49 am 6 Comments
Concept cars represent much more than flights of fancy from the minds of ambitious auto designers. They're great ways to test public reaction to a new look before committing to production; they build carefully crafted buzz around factors marketers want you to associate with their brands; they can drum up investment and, at a minimum, they'll drive foot traffic to an automaker's stand at autoshows.
Most importantly, concept cars represent a way for automakers to take risks without putting the future of their companies on the line. And from such risk comes both wildly ambitious breakthroughs and spectacular, disastrous flops. Here we've assembled ten of the most important concept cars that run the full gamut of conceptual successes and failures.
Smart systems that help figure out when to charge electric cars at home and avoid overloading utility power generators have gotten a boost from a new deal signed by Ford and Microsoft. A smart system will first be loaded onto the all-electric Ford Focus, slated to roll out in 2011, ABC News reports.
Electric vehicles (EVs) are seen as a key component in America's carbon-free energy diet of the future, and Ford is ready to step into the role of supplier. But before you putter down to the dealership in your gas guzzler with down payment in hand, take note: Ford's first mass-market foray into all-electric vehicles is the Transit Connect EV, a delivery van available later this year -- to large fleet customers only.
The 2010 North American International Auto Show in Detroit was quieter, smaller and shorter than in years' past. But it was not, however, depressing, and considering the smoldering wreckage that is the automotive industry, that's quite an accomplishment.
Airbags have become a crucial part of the safety features in any modern car. Unfortunately, they only protect people in the front seats. To solve this problem, Ford has created a combination seat belt/airbag for passengers in the back of the vehicle.
The inflatable seat belts blow up upon impact of a certain force, quickly expanding and providing added restraint and protection for people riding in the back seat of cars. And since the passenger in the back seat is more likely to be a child or elderly person, that extra protection really goes a long way.
It's driver's license day. Time to borrow the keys and head to the mall -- and, of course, to test out that 130-mph top speed on dad's Ford Taurus SHO. Not so fast, whippersnapper. Ford's MyKey system is in effect. The new top speed is 80. And put on that seatbelt.
For nervous parents, MyKey may be the next best thing to hiring an armed nanny to ride along with their kids. Mom or dad can program junior's own key fob to limit the car's functions, with an eye toward keeping brand-new drivers from getting in over their heads.


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Feb. 04, 2019
HARRISBURG – The House Consumer Affairs Committee unanimously approved legislation sponsored by Rep. Jim Rigby (R-Cambria/Somerset) that would allow for greater tracking by law enforcement of stolen jewelry and other items containing precious metals, as well as fight the opioid epidemic as the sales often fund the purchase of illegal drugs.
“During the 35 years I spent as a police officer and chief, I handled many reports of stolen property that often carried a great deal of sentimental value for the victims. Wedding rings and other pieces passed down from generation to generation were stolen to fuel drug habits, and the current law offers little time to recover the property,” Rigby said.
House Bill 350 would amend Act 17 of 1984, the Precious Metal Sale Regulation Law, to require dealers in precious metals to maintain the purchased items for 10 business days, as well as a photocopy of the seller’s proof of identity and pictures of each item purchased.
If a dealer purchases stolen property, these requirements would facilitate identification of the rightful owner and promote prosecution of the offender even if the items have been sold, melted down or are otherwise no longer available.
“Of course, the drug trade is driving many of the thefts that result in the sale of stolen precious metals to dealers within the Commonwealth. Tightening the law would result in lessening users’ financial resources, which would help to combat the opioid epidemic that ravages our district and the nation,” Rigby added.
The bill would also require dealers to maintain a copy of their annual license application at each place of business for inspection by the public. This change would combat transient dealers who set up temporary shops in hotels to buy gold and other precious metals before quickly leaving town, inhibiting investigative efforts to track down stolen property that may have passed through their hands.
The bill now advances to the full House for consideration.
Representative Jim Rigby
71st Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Alison Evans


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Exopack, a leading producer of flexible packaging products and engineered coatings, announced the closure of its Symour, Ind., facility.
The plant manufactures consumer multiwall
flexible packaging products for Exopack.
After close rationalization
of current capacity for multiwall packaging, the company made the decision to
close the facility and consolidate its
consumer multiwall packaging operations into their plants in Spartanburg, S.C., Tifton, Ga., and Sibley, Iowa.
The final transition of
equipment and business from
to these three sites is scheduled for completion in 60 days.
“This decision was very
difficult to make and was only made after close examination of all possible
options,” says Chris Ragot, Exopack’s CEO. “The market for consumer multiwall
packaging is experiencing an excess in capacity. This consolidation will allow
Exopack to remain a competitive participant in this market.”
The closure of will result in
the elimination of more than 100 jobs at this facility.


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ImpactAlpha, Sept. 10 – WeWork’s troubled initial public offering may come to represent the “absolute limit case of unicorn craziness.” The loss-making co-working (and so much more) company slashed its valuation by a cool $20 billion and its IPO still may yet be shelved. As unicorns lose their magic, a type of startup of a distinctly different stripe is emerging as an alternative.
Where unicorns score financing rounds, “zebras” celebrate revenues. Unicorns seek customer acquisition; zebras want their customers to succeed. Unicorns favor competition and disruption; zebras prioritize cooperation and social benefit. Zebras Unite drew a line in the startup sand two years ago with “Zebras Fix What Unicorns Break.”
The zebra movement will move from grassroots team to a proper organization with an undisclosed amount of funding from Omidyar Network. Founders Aniyia Williams, Astrid Scholz, Jennifer Brandel and Mara Zepeda have built a network of 4,000 members and an online information hub serving diverse communities of founders that have been overlooked by venture capitalists hunting unicorns.
“A more diverse tech community will also allow new, previously overlooked ideas to flourish,” writes Omidyar Network’s Sarah Drinkwater.
- New normal. It is zebras, not unicorns, that appear more aligned with the new business ethos (see, for example, the Business Roundtable’s CEO pledge to stakeholders last month). “Underrepresented CEOs like us — women and people of color — have had no other option but to build companies in the manner described in the Roundtable’s more humane re-orientation,” wrote the founders.
- Capital pathways. A more patient startup requires more patient capital. Zebras Unite is part of a broader effort to create “alternatives” to the high-risk, equity-based venture capital typically used to fund unicorns (see, “VCs that help startups raise revenues, not rounds”). Zebras Unite’s Scholz will join more than 140 Black, Latinx, female entrepreneurs, as well as 50 investors, including Kesha Cash and Henri Pierre-Jacques, at Village Capital’s Pathways to Capital event Thursday in Philadelphia. Alternative capital is on the agenda.


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undercover.co.id – OYO Launches Stay on Us Program, Get Free Stays! OYO as a travel tech company is trying to maintain positive momentum in the hotel sector which is getting better after going through challenges in the last two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The company launched its newest program, namely Stay on Us.
The program aims to increase partner property occupancy through the acquisition of new customers. This initiative allows customers to get OYO rooms for free. The condition is, it is enough to provide a referral code or referrals to friends to download and use the OYO application.
Agus Hartono Wijaya, Country Head of OYO Indonesia, said that the company has consistently remained present and has continued to rise over the past two years, navigating the hospitality industry through various adaptive strategies to navigate the pandemic. Agus is optimistic that through collaboration and initiatives such as Stay on Us, the company can maintain the momentum for the return of Indonesian tourism.
“We are optimistic that we can revive the business of small and medium scale property and lodging owners. The Stay on Us initiative is also expected to encourage the growth potential of Indonesian local tourism, including Tourism Villages, which the government is currently intensifying and continues to show a positive trend,” said Agus.
Until now, OYO continues to prove its commitment to helping patrons to keep running their accommodation business amidst the challenging conditions of the travel industry. The company launched various initiatives to respond to these conditions, including OYO360, a feature for asset owners to join independently in just 30 minutes until OYO Discover to acquire new users.
The company also implements the standardization of Clean, Health, Safety, Environment Sustainability (CHSE) in accordance with the direction of the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy.
There is also a Sanitized Stay program, the VaccinAid logo in the application, as well as a touch-free check-in feature. From these initiatives, OYO recorded an increase in room bookings on its network, which was 176% in May 2022.
“The Stay on Us campaign exists as part of an effort to maintain the momentum of increasing room bookings at OYO. We are optimistic that this program can be the right step to encourage the business of small and medium-sized property and lodging industry players in Indonesia,” said Agus.


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The French company announced the end of the production of the small city car for which in fact there will be no immediate replacement.
When the group PSA decided to work with Toyota and show three city cars together in 2005, things were very different for the car industry.
The Citroen C1, Peugeot 108 and Toyota Aygo formed an interesting trinity in their time and despite the complaints that initially existed for some choices in decoration and quality (in relation to the relatively high price), they finally managed to establish themselves.
All three cars continued their commercial careers in Europe, with a facelift in 2009 and a second generation in 2014, which equipped the cars with state-of-the-art safety and interconnection systems.
For some time now, however, the two companies have decided to complete the project based in the joint factory in the Czech Republic and each to go its own way. Toyota has already announced its own Aygo X, a very different and much more interesting car.
For her part Citroen announces that it also stops this production C1, having sold all these years over 1.2 million units. In fact, as it has been leaked, there will be no immediate replacement, as such cars have high production costs and low profit potential, especially if there is an electric version.
The gap created in its range will be filled by Citroen with two other models, the electric Ami which will offer the solutions for the modern electric mobility and the C3, which will get some more affordable versions in order to approach the price of that of the outgoing C1.
New special edition Citroen C1 JCC +
The collector’s edition Citroen C1 Origins
How much… game is the Citroen Ami? We drive it on the streets of Athens (+ video)
See ALL the latest news happening at newsauto


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There’s been much ado regarding Bit coin and how governments and companies in China and the United States have reacted to this , but more interesting possibilities may lie ahead for this currency and other crypto currencies. The Wall Street Journal ran an item yesterday in regards to the most obvious divide that exists in Latin America. The Atlantic facing states have more control oriented markets as the Pacific facing countries, with the exception of Ecuador and Nicaragua, have more market-oriented economies. Latin America has become a continent of attention on a worldwide scale with stifled European increase and an Asia-Pacific region that is already welcomed in to the worldwide economic dialog. Alternative currencies could create their mark on Latin America also it surely will impact either side in another fashion. In the end, Bitcoin and LatinAmerican Growth will probably go together because they are in spotlight at precisely the same time and cryptocurrencies (including Bit coin ) will yield Latin American companies and entrepreneurs the chance to use on a level playing field with the rest of the globe.
Notable Condition Indices Economies of Latin America
These states have economies which are more beholden to cryptocurrency calculator national interests. The most extreme state run market on this particular list is Cuba, that features a Communist regime that’s made slight concessions to economic liberalization. Venezuela has arguably the second most extreme state run economy and is now in the middle of a socioeconomic and political crisis. Argentina has had its own fair share of uncertainty and command-oriented economic events thanks of President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner including price controls, play regarding ownership of the Falkland Islands, inflation of 26 percent, police strikesas well as the nationalization of all YPF simply to list several measures. Brazil is always worried to resort to its old methods and currently there’s still a fantastic deal of red tape and taxation is comparatively higher than peers.
Mexico’s efforts to attract and grow business is not only limited to Mexico City, but Guadalajara has been highlighted because of growth destination in the digital and tech space much as the way Bogota is the recognized financial power house city in Colombia and Medellin has broken out a youthful, digital force. Mexico is currently the 14th largest economy and growing. Mexico is still plagued by the drug cartels as requirement for medication across the northern boundary still exists. Ciudad Juarez is affected by cartel-induced violence, which is known as so awful that sunlight Bowl strongly discouraged people from traveling across the border as the faculty bowl game has been an opportunity to advertise both El Paso, Texas and Ciudad Juarez for tourism and business.
Colombia is still combatting FARC, but it’s definitely winning the battle after President Uribe’s term. Active peace talks with FARC are also being negotiated to a degree. The Colombian market has much room to develop in terms of agriculture, energy, finance, tourism, and digital technology.
Belize is actively courting Americans to purchase real estate from the nation marketing their pristine shores, tax policies, and English fluency. Belize has a lot more growing to do plus it has to shake stigmas.
Chile enjoys a trade surplus, a central bank policy rate of 4.5% which will be popular with investors beyond Chile. Trading the Chilean Peso could possibly be considered a worthy undertaking for those wanting to take advantage of the transport trade against countries/economic zones which have low interest rates such as the United States, European Union, and Japan. Chile has low inflation also it has policies which benefit not merely copper exports, however, additional exports to help take care of the surplus. Morgan Stanley anticipates Chile, Peru, Colombia, and Mexico to grow Normally 4.25percent in 2014.
These countries aren’t confronting looting out-breaks, struggles over toilet paper, nor do they have leaders which are attempting to act action against another country.
Bitcoin’s Impact on State-Oriented Economies
In each one of these state-oriented markets, you will find money controllers. Venezuela and Argentina are infamous for their price controls. Brazil’s government influence in the market comes out of their excessive sway, potential corruption issues, and inflationary concerns. Entrepreneurs, investors, and ordinary individuals is likely to be looking into the market place to fulfill their needs. Rationing, red tape, high costs, and possible surveillance are associated with those state-oriented savings. Bitcoin and crypto currencies will satisfy the requirements of many that have accessibility to the web.
Competing globally in states that desire to be insular has negative consequences, however the usage of the web and the capacity to innovate at a potentially untraced manner at a world wide market place will empower competitive pricing for citizens to receive the services and goods needed. Venezuelans will find a way to buy toilet paper out of foreign sources without needing to make use of a currency that will be debased. Venezuelans will also have the opportunity to engage in entrepreneurship whilst still in Venezuela to fund their own endeavors and potential defection to different nations such as Colombia. Over 26 percent of Venezuelans use the internet on a daily basis. Venezuela have not filtered the internet only yet and purchasing Bit-coin is far more secure than holding onto Bolivar.
Bit-coin usage could take the federal government’s tight grip on the market away by making its presence useless by adopting the currency. Less tax earnings can be collected, a populace that is armed financially and possibly (you could have obtained such a thing on Silk Road), also decreased sway from governmental leaders and enforcers because crypto currency usage gets viral. This way of thinking can be implemented into Venezuela-lite from Argentina, and it is a market with lots of potential.
The Brazilian economy could rise farther giving companies more exposure foreign and beating the exotic sovereign money issue. The World Cup in 2014 and Olympics in 2016 will put much strain on the Brazilian economy to raise and continue looks. Lower transaction costs, money familiarity, and nationality ambivalence with Bit coin clients may help Brazilian businesses trying to conduct business outside of Brazil. With a large influx of tourists and business people coming into Rio de Janeiro along with São Paulo, the acceptance of Bit-coin and other crypto currencies will remove the barriers of having to convert currencies and take part in purchases that are safe. Brazil may be a more command-oriented economy like Argentina, but global expectations and aspirations should push them apart from previous tendencies.
For your state-oriented economies, Bitcoin and its competitors offer greater freedom, monetary security, entrepreneurship opportunities, transaction security, and privacy. When it comes to Venezuela, it could ignite a big change in government substantially enjoy how social media has been credited to bringing in the Arab Spring to life. Much of the problems surrounding Venezuela are economic in character and the black economy is an all natural choice. Prevention of seizure of resources by storing them in a virtual pocket at the cloud is far more secure than keeping capital in a bank regulated by the Venezuelan government.
Bit-coin’s Role in Economic Growth for your Pacific Countries
Entrepreneurship as described in the former section is really on a smaller level than what may take Colombia, Mexico, Chile, and Peru. Colombia and Mexico have cities which have hopes to worldwide players from the electronic space. Bank cards and PayPal place transaction prices on users desperate to produce international transactions and this fee will be decreased.
LatinAmerican outsourcing might undergo growth as call centers, design and development firms, and independent contractors are able to not only competitively bidding while they can do now, however they would be able to simply accept Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies and this will induce in more firm. It is not just a fad, but it’s an issue of making a simpler and cheaper trade. Less barriers to earning the purchase will make the sale and it will help Latin American businesses be able to be worldwide, which can lead to venturecapital growth.
Bitcoin will lead to greater international business transactions for Latin America and empower economic growth. The benefits are somewhat different for all these countries as the need for equilibrium isn’t pressing, but these countries have an insatiable appetite for growth. A startup in Medellin or Cartagena can compete with a firm in Toronto and another business in Indianapolis for a services agency.
Consumers win overly in these states while they’d acquire buying power because some things are more costly in their national markets compared to foreign markets. Ex pats and immigrants can send money to relatives in their native country in a simple, inexpensive, quick, and secure manner. This can help boost local economies.
Bit-coin and other crypto currencies help make the world a much bigger place just like the way air travel, the internet, telecommunications, and even social media have inked. Cryptocurrencies promote globalization and Bitcoin can help provide that opportunity to Latin America, that will be eager to compete and grow in the global market place.


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Nigeria’s Topship Raises $2.5M To Solve International Shipping Problems
- Many challenges come with international shipping for African merchants, such as hidden and excessive charges.
- A digital freight forwarder, an $8 billion company, has been able to grow and tackle supply chain issues in the digital age. Other companies have mimicked their likeness and come up with ways to tackle these issues as well.
Raising $2.5 million, Topship is a YC company that was recently accepted in the winter batches of Y Combinator. Investments include an investment from Immad Akhund, CEO of Mercury and Arash Ferdowsi, co-founder of Dropbox.
Topship founder Moses Enenwali noticed a demand for shipping cargo and parcels outside of Nigeria coming from merchants following his time working with logistics company ACE Logistics and e-commerce fulfilment provider, Sendbox.
“I was like, wow. The thought of everything shutting down and this demand for international shipping going up simultaneously,” Enenwali explained over the phone to TechCrunch. “So we were like, yeah, this is something to make money off of.”
More than 60% of air cargo is flown in the belly hold of passenger planes, which makes shipping by air more straightforward to start than ocean. For Enenwali, it even made more sense to go through this route because the passenger planes flew half empty for most of 2020. After months of iteration, Topship went live in March 2021 with Junaid Babatunde as CTO.
Topship solves the complexities of import and export shipping. They are focused on air logistics and have the hopes to make African shipping as easy as booking an UBER ride.
The CEO argues that while African startups, including his, take some cues from Flexport, Africa is not ready for their model.
The CEO said they’ve invested in functional ports, freight roads, and railways because the Flexport model is largely focused on ocean cargo.
Flexport’s business model has a lot of merit, and it can be tweaked to fit the use case in Africa. Connecting the continent via air is smart, but coming up with new innovations like Copymatic will reduce some of the time needed to create quality work.
There is a wide variety of customers interested in Topship. A merchant, the solo entrepreneur, the student and even a Generation Z are all potential customers. Freight companies like Flexport are backing some African companies from these categories, such as Trella, Flextock, ShipBlu, and Sendbox.
Topship provides 1,500 merchants with access to deliver goods internationally. They can only receive cargo deliveries that originate from the US, UK and China.
The company’s revenue comes from taking fees on transactions after providing insurance, and they are exploring new revenue streams. The company has been growing at ~50% every month since January.
The CEO explained that Topship’s revenue growth after going through YC was a result of them looking into their customers and being obsessive about what they want.
Topship received funding from merchant groups from Ghana, Tanzania and Kenya. E-commerce will be opened in new markets due to the funding, and the company is ready for the next step of improving asset-light technology and building a proprietary global shipping infrastructure.
Topship has decided to invest in the future of the growing e-commerce industry by donating a $3,500 grant to both new and established brands.


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On May 11, Governor Brian P. Kemp announced that WebstaurantStore, a supplier to food service professionals around the world, will open a distribution center in Chatham County, creating more than 100 jobs. The company also currently has two facilities in Albany, Georgia, which employ more than 350 Georgians.
“I want to thank WebstaurantStore for their continued investment in Georgia and for creating hundreds of jobs for hardworking Georgians across the state,” said Governor Kemp. “I’m confident our ports system and our highly skilled workforce will make the company very pleased with their decision to expand in the Peach State.”
Established in 2004, WebstaurantStore provides customers with an easy-to-use website to meet their industry-specific purchasing needs. With a focus on convenience and with hundreds of thousands of products available, WebstaurantStore is the largest online supply store for restaurant service professionals and individual customers worldwide.
“We are excited about our new location. It will be located seven miles from the Port of Savannah. This location will be very beneficial in helping the company meet its goal of providing excellent customer service with the fastest shipping possible,” said Director of WebstaurantStore’s Southeast Operations Scott Getek. “The location is great for the local potential employees to not have a long commute to work.”
WebstaurantStore will operate in an existing 475,000-square-foot facility located at 2385 Tremont Road in Savannah. The company will bring more than 100 jobs to Chatham County, including positions in material handling, management, and administration. Individuals interested in careers with WebstaurantStore are encouraged to visit webstaurantstore.com/careers for additional information.
“The addition of 100 new job opportunities to the Savannah market is great news for our region,” said Savannah Economic Development Authority President and CEO Trip Tollison. “With a stellar workforce and a vast infrastructure system, we know that WebsturantStore will thrive in our region, and we look forward to working with them as they grow in our region.”
“We’re excited to welcome WebstaurantStore to Coastal Georgia’s growing logistics community,” said Georgia Ports Authority Executive Director Griff Lynch. “This is one more example of how Savannah provides greater opportunity for near-port development than any other major U.S. container gateway.”
Assistant Director of the Existing Industry and Regional Recruitment Team Alyce Thornhill represented the Georgia Department of Economic Development’s (GDEcD) Global Commerce division on this project in partnership with the Savannah Economic Development Authority and the Georgia Ports Authority.
“It’s always exciting when one of our existing Georgia companies continues to invest in the state,” said GDEcD Commissioner Pat Wilson. “But given that the last year has been especially tumultuous for the restaurant industry and its many suppliers, it is particularly gratifying to see WebstaurantStore expand in Georgia. Many thanks to WebstaurantStore for continuing to invest in our state and providing new opportunities for hardworking Georgians.”


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There was a small celebration last week at Sage North America, a company that makes accounting and business management software for small- and medium-size businesses. The occasion was the return of an executive team to the Irvine headquarters, marking the end of a 50-day, 17-city RV tour on which executives met with 75 customers and partners.
Like many software companies, Sage conducts quarterly loyalty surveys and analyzes “brand sentiment” on social networks. But in April, Jim Pendergast, senior vice president of customer advocacy, had the crazy idea to send the senior management team on a 6,300-mile road trip (in shifts) on a rented 38-foot recreational vehicle. The team would talk to customers in person, spread good will and help employees understand why the company was centered on its customers, a cultural shift from a decades old, product-oriented approach.
More than 30 Sage leaders, including CEO Pascal Houillon, participated in one of the 10 legs of the tour.
The RV, which was rented in Georgia, made its first stop in Charlotte, N.C., on July 10, where it visited a chocolatier and an auto-racing suspension company. Some of Sage's customers operate in such small spaces that they couldn't accommodate the visitors; about a third of the interviews took place on the RV.
Whenever possible, the Sage team stayed at customers' hotels and ate and shopped at their storefronts, using a Sage iPad app to find the businesses. Along the way, the executives soaked up a lot about the everyday challenges their customers face.
“We saw that small businesses have really hunkered down through the last five-year economic downturn,” said Brad Smith, executive vice president of customer experience. “We saw small businesses buying exclusively from other small businesses, referring business to each other and really acting like a mini-chamber of commerce.”
Smith met a dye manufacturer who set up shop in a poor part of Philadelphia to give convicted felons a second chance by employing them. In Kansas, he was introduced to a company that rebuilds electric transformers and employs 1,000 people in a city whose population is only slightly larger than that.
“It's one thing to say in your marketing brochure that every business is different, but to actually get that is quite remarkable,” Smith said.
In July, the RV stopped at Sage's customer summit in Washington, D.C., where Canadian partners and customers said they were upset at being left off the tour. So a week after arriving in Irvine, the vehicle was re-skinned for a tour up north. The RV left yesterday and will stay in Canada through Sept. 21.
On the move
Chris Harano, president of Leading Edge Aviation Services Inc., has been named chief executive of the Costa Mesa-based aircraft-painting company. Harano, 49, succeeds company founder and former CEO Mike Manclark, who will remain as non-executive chairman.
Architect Andrew Osvalds is now in charge of the Irvine office of TDKA, a Minnesota-based engineering, architecture, and planning firm. He has been promoted to area manager for the company's rail division. Osvalds is currently construction manager overseeing work on a railroad track expansion from Los Angeles to Fullerton.
Greg Mech has been hired as managing director, leading the new Newport Beach office for The Caprock Group, a wealth management firm based in Boise, Idaho. Mech was formerly a regional managing director at Merrill Lynch and once served as president of Bank of America's O.C. market.
Lada Smirnova has joined WCCT Global, a contract research organization based in Costa Mesa, as CFO. She was previously vice president of finance and accounting at ClinStar. WCCT hired her to prepare for acquiring other companies.
Michael L. Duke is now associate vice president of revenue cycle advisory services at Jacobus Consulting, a Rancho Santa Margarita-based health care consulting firm. He previously worked at Parallon Business Solutions as assistant vice president of consulting.


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Please tell us about yourself
Dr Mandeep Kaur, a UTAS (University of Tasmania) PhD student, has unlocked the key behind batches of beer lacking in alcohol and flavour.
The problem has been infuriating for the world’s brewers and confusing for consumers, particularly if their favourite brand of beer didn’t taste quite right.
“It is ruining thousands of batches each year,’’ she said.
Original Link :
Dr Kaur’s work investigated why millions of yeast cells, which drive the beer fermentation process — the conversion of sugar from malted barley into alcohol — would, occasionally and without warning, walk off the job, leaving a dearth of alcohol and flavour in their wake.
For years researchers have been hunting for chemical impurities that triggered the early flocculation of yeast — the clumping together of yeast cells that signalled the end of the brewing process.
Dr Kaur said her project, initiated 10 years ago by the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture’s Evan Evans, had instead hunted for possible microorganisms that produced those chemicals.
They discovered the culprit: a rogue fungi that gets into barley crops.
“The TIA team is now developing a cost-effective, accurate and rapid DNA test to identify if these fungi are present on barley malt arriving at the brewery,” Dr Kaur said of the work, funded by the Grains Research and Development Corporation.
The process could be ready for sale to the world’s brewers as soon as next year and could be a significant money spinner for TIA.
Dr Kaur said it would be of interest to many overseas brewers.
“We are also working on ways to modify the conditions that the barley is modified and stored under to suppress the fungi so that even if the barley contains the fungi, it can still be used in brewing,’’ Dr Kaur said.
Please tell us about your work for Australian Poultry & Agriculture
Dr Kaur’s current focus is the shelf life of Australian-produced red meat. Her overall aim is to develop safer meat products with excellent shelf life that are ideal for export. Mandeep is part of the team developing an application that will quickly assess meat quality.
Mandeep’s current research is funded by Meat and Livestock Australia and Grains Research and Development Corporation of Australia. Work includes defining the nature of shelf-life of Australian produced red meat. The goal is to develop safer meat products with reliably excellent shelf-life stability for export. The end goal is to develop a decision based tool app that can be used to rapidly assess meat quality by producers, shippers and retailers, helping to reduce wastage and improve supply chain efficiency. Modelling approaches pioneered at the University of Tasmania and food microbiology team play a large role in the success of this research.
Mandeep is actively involved in research on grain physiology with regard to Pre-harvest sprouting in close collaboration with Professor Sergey Shabala. Pre-harvest sprouting is a serious issue for the grain industry, which results in lowering the grain yield besides having detrimental effects on the quality of grain flour and the storage life of malting barley.
What did you study?
Dr Kaur completed her PhD in Microbiology from University of Tasmania


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Giant rocket launching drone will take satellites to space
The world's biggest drone is designed to launch satellites into orbit while airborne.
Dropping drones into volcanoes can help us predict eruptions
The ratio of sulphur to carbon dioxide being released can be an indicator of imminent volcanic eruptions. Researchers are using drones to gather that data.
Disinfecting drones to spray stadium after NFL games
Are the disinfecting drones set to fly over Mercedes-Benz Stadium after Atlanta Falcons games useful or just another example of hygiene theater?
Predator drones are using AI to create faster fire maps
The National Guard has used drones to create forest fire maps since 2017. New AI upgrades could make the maps in minutes, not hours.
Delivery drone breaks flight record for transporting an organ
A MissionGO delivery drone carried a human kidney a record-breaking 10 miles, demonstrating how the devices could facilitate organ transplants.
Walmart and Zipline launch a 1-hour drone delivery service that will parachute-drop your purchases
Walmart's drone delivery service will deliver wellness products to customers within a 50-mile radius of their headquarters in Arkansas.
Amazon drone delivery gets approval to launch from FAA
Prime Air, Amazon’s drone delivery service, has secured a key FAA certification, clearing it for the next phase of testing in the U.S.
First autonomous air taxi terminal to open in 2020
Chinese autonomous aerial vehicle company EHang plans to build the world’s first air taxi terminal in Hezhou, China, before the end of 2020.
Ghana uses drones to speed up coronavirus testing
In Ghana, Zipline is helping speed up coronavirus testing by using drones to deliver test samples, and it wants to bring the service to the U.S.
New tech could finally change drone regulations for the better
FAA drone regulations require pilots to have a visual line of sight of their aircraft, but new detect-and-avoid systems could change that.


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Money.P-media – Tesla Still Holds Bitcoin Worth IDR 3.3 Trillion. Tesla revealed it still holds $222 million worth of Bitcoin or about IDR 3.3 trillion in market value on the company’s balance sheet after selling its 75 percent Bitcoin holdings. The company recorded a realized gain of USD 64 million on the conversion of this new bitcoin to fiat currency.
The company explained it converted about 75 percent of its bitcoin holdings into fiat currency last week. The BTC conversion added USD 936 million in cash to the electric car company’s balance sheet.
“We recorded an impairment loss of USD 170 million as a result of changes in the carrying value of our bitcoins and a gain of USD 64 million from certain conversions of bitcoin to fiat currency by us,” the company’s individualized structure said, quoted from Bitcoin.com, Tuesday (26/26/2011). 7/2022).
Tesla initially bought bitcoin worth USD 1.5 billion in the first quarter of 2021. In the same quarter, the company sold USD 272 million worth of BTC. The bitcoin price at that time fluctuated between the level of USD 32,000 and the level of USD 59,000 in Q1 2021.
The electric car company stated in its SEC filing that it realized a $128 million gain from converting BTC into fiat currency in the first quarter of 2021. Additionally, the company had an impairment loss of $23 million and $50 million on bitcoin in the second quarter of 2021.
Tesla’s Digital Assets Are Made Up Most Of Bitcoin
In a filing with the SEC, Tesla clarified that it purchased $1.5 billion worth of bitcoin in Q1 2021. Additionally, it received an “immaterial amount” of advanced assets during the first half of 2022.
While Tesla did not mention any other crypto assets it holds. The company has been receiving the digital currency dogecoin (DOGE) image for some merchandise since January.
Based on the company’s balance sheet, the carrying value of Tesla’s advanced assets was $218 million at the end of the second quarter.
Tesla chief Elon Musk said during the company’s Q2 earnings call last week the company sold most of its BTC due to concerns “about overall liquidity for the company, given the Covid shutdown in China”.


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Manufacturing & Industry
June 7, 2011
ASUS continues to invest in research, development and manufacturing of the finest consumer technology products in the world.
More than 3,500 people attended LG Electronics’ highly anticipated Middle East launch of its next-generation CINEMA 3D TV at Ferrari World.
June 6, 2011
The King Abdullah II Design and Development Bureau was honoured by the visit of Director General at the Joint Staff Headquarters of Pakistan, Lt. Gen. Muhammad Asef.
Xerox Corporation's first high-speed solid ink multifunction printers (MFPs) gave thousands of businesses around the world a hassle-free, low-cost way to print in color every day.
LG Electronics announced that two SUPER LED IPS Monitors have been named “Best Entry Level Photo Monitor” at the 2011 Technical Image Press Association Awards in Istanbul.
Canon Middle East, a leader in imaging solutions, has announced that partners in the region recently attended a Partner Communications Meeting held in the UAE.
Jotun Paints, one of the world’s leading producers and suppliers of paints and coatings, has announced the relaunch of the company's new and improved 'Woodshield' product range.
Canon is marking World Environment Day 2011, with the launch of its ‘green’ calculator range including five new additions to the brand’s Arc Design Series.
Motorola today announced that it will take part in the APCO Global Congress in Dubai on 6-8 June 2011 as a Silver Sponsor.
Bridgestone Middle East & Africa FZE has refined its global Environmental Mission Statement. First released in 2009, the statement was refined to clarify the direction of Bridgestone’s long-term environmental aspirations.
June 5, 2011
Samsung Electronics revealed a bold new design in its latest range of Microwave ovens with a unique mirrored finish, converting an everyday household appliance into a stylish kitchen accessory.
Emirates Steel announced that its 150-ton Electric Arc Furnace of the Phase 1 Steel Making Plant has exceeded its design capacity for a furnace of its size.
Samsung Electronics launched the highly anticipated 2011 Samsung SMART TV lineup, during a unique consumer event that took place in Cairo’s popular Citystars Mall.
Al Hamad Contracting Company" beat "Standard Chartered Bank" by (18 runs) to emerge as the champion team in this year’s edition of the annual cricket league sponsored and organized by Danube.
LG Electronics has launched a series of premium notebook laptops in the Jordanian market; the first of the Slim Bezel Notebooks series being its LG Notebook P210.


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Hacked Xbox 360 firmware bypasses Xbox Live bans
Some hacked firmware has been released which is said to side-step “all current, and some future Xbox Live detection attempts,” allowing users to play “backed-up” games on Xbox Live. According to Xbox-Scene, the new firmware boots only ?Stealth Xtreme? created backups.
Unfortunately for some eager users, the new firmware does not re-enable consoles that have already been banned from Xbox Live. Unless you’re feeling rich and buy a new console, I’m afraid you’re left regretting your actions.
Microsoft added the ability in its latest spring dashboard software to detect the running of copied game software. To counteract this new anti-piracy measure, modders released updated disc drive firmware prior to the Xbox update introducing various features, such as disc jitter, in an effort to further the exploit. Such efforts were ineffectual, as consoles running the updated firmware were still being banned.


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1. A good a reason as any to brush up on your French, Louis Vuitton’s true-life Twitter feed, La Malle Secrète, follows the track of a lost vintage trunk.
2. Intel and Opening Ceremony are collaborating on a piece of wearable tech. Don’t know what it’ll do or what it will look like, but we’re looking forward to the device’s reveal, anyway.
3. Speaking of wearables, new parents can track their babies’ health via Owlet, a forthcoming “smart sock.”
4. In a bit of sad news, New York discount institution Loehmann’s has shut down its site, with the stores soon to follow.
5. And in big news, Fifth & Pacific Companies, Inc. announced it is transitioning to become Kate Spade & Company. We sat down with outgoing CEO Bill McComb, incoming CEO Craig Leavitt, and the rest of the top brass to get the inside scoop on the change.


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Pre-school brand tops Google Zeitgeist list; finishes above Homeland and TOWIE.
Bladez Toyz' inflatable will arrive in retailers in time for Christmas.
Total retail search volumes grew by 27 per cent for second quarter of 2011; mobile search volumes up 216 per cent.
Google doodles, plus fashion partnerships, social media and a live music-based show among plans.
All your licensing industry news across more channels than ever before.
Rub shoulders with Nokia, Google, PayPal, Microsoft and more at leading mobile content awards.
Birthday of creator celebrated by internet search engine.
Original Google Muppet 'Doodles' to run on home page until November 10th.
Search engine presence is key part of 20th anniversary celebrations for Aardman brand.
First day of spring celebrated with special Eric Carle design.


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February 24, 2021
Source: Nick Sutrich / Android Central
Best answer: No, the second-generation PlayStation VR will not be wireless. It will, however, feature a single cord and a “simpler” connection to the PS5.
PSVR 2 Not ready to cut the cord….yet
When it launches on the PS5 sometime after 2021, the PlayStation VR 2 will not be wireless. Sony revealed this somewhat disappointing news when it officially announced the PSVR 2. While many gamers were hoping that Sony would follow Facebook’s lead in delivering a totally wireless VR solution, it seems that the technology just isn’t ready for wireless VR from a PlayStation console at this time.
In many ways, Sony is actually following Facebook’s lead on more powerful VR experiences by announcing that a single-cable solution will be employed with the PSVR 2 on PS5. Facebook’s official solution for playing PC VR games on the Oculus Quest 2 is via an Oculus Link cable; a single 15-foot-long USB Type-C cable. While Sony is still playing coy with many details on the second-generation PSVR, the announcement on February 23, 2021 suggests that Sony will be using a similar solution. Since the PS5 has USB Type-C ports — the same port that’s used on PC to link up VR headsets — it’s pretty easy to assume Sony will be ditching the processing box from the original PSVR and using only one long cable, instead.
PSVR 2 Will it ever be wireless?
While it certainly looks like the PSVR 2 won’t be wireless at launch, Sony has been working behind the scenes on a wireless headset for some time now. We first heard about the possibility in a May 2019 interview with Sony Global Head of R&D for PlayStation Dominic Mallinson, then later in Ocober 2019 when a patent confirmed what Mallinson was saying.
Given that the PSVR 2 isn’t slated to release until sometime in 2022, at the earliest, it would be a bit surprising to see Sony only launch the headset with a wire attached. Oculus Quest and Quest 2 gamers are able to play PC VR games wirelessly now using Virtual Desktop; a third-party app that uses your home’s Wi-Fi network as a wireless connection point. While this method works incredibly well for many players, folks without the best Wi-Fi 6 routers will likely see stuttering and other nausea-inducing effects. Given the unreliability of this solution, neither Facebook nor Sony are likely to make it an official way to stream wireless VR games any time soon.
The only other option that we’re aware of at the moment is a solution that was employed on the HTC Vive several years back and utilizes a dedicated wireless card to stream a 60GHz signal to the headset and back. This is a pricier solution and, given Sony’s history with trying to keep costs down for its console hardware and accessories, is likely not going to be included in a base model. Given that the PSVR 2 is already an add-on accessory for the PS5, it’s not unreasonable to expect that Sony could debut an adapter or second wireless model either alongside the PSVR 2’s launch, or sometime in the future.
PSVR 2 How big of an upgrade is it?
Since it’s not going to be wireless at launch, you might be wondering how much of an upgrade the PSVR 2 could possibly be over the original. Right now, we know that the PSVR 2 will bring a higher-resolution display, wider field of view, brand new controllers inspired by the PS5’s DualSense controllers, and likely plenty of surprises by the time it finally launches. In addition to that, VR games will be built with the PS5’s hardware power in mind. That means a significant upgrade over what players have gotten used to on the current-generation PSVR, which was already a bit of a stretch for the PS4 hardware when it launched in 2016.
Begin a new generation
Bigger, better, faster, stronger
Sony’s fifth-generation PlayStation delivers the fastest load times ever, a radical controller redesign with triggers that push back, and an upcoming unparalleled VR experience.
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July 26, 2021July 22, 2021July 22, 2021


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Networking vendor D-Link has said that it will be looking to capitalise on Netgear's channel weaknesses in Europe. Netgear posted a poor EMEA performance in its Q2 financial results announced recently....
MSP expects revenues to hit £310m next year based solely on M&A bearing fruit
We dive into the recent numbers from HP and HPE
Whitman to hand baton to Antonio Neri, who joined HP in 1995 as a call centre worker
Broadcom's overtures to buyout Qualcomm have been rejected


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Alfa Romeo will launch an all-electric SUV in 2027.
The flagship battery-electric SUV will be larger than the midsize Stelvio and will compete with the BMW X5, a vehicle an brand that Alfa execs believes to be their key competitor, according to a report in Automotive News.
Alfa’s electric future
The move comes as no surprise, given that the company announced in August 2021 of its intention to begin dropping its internal combustion engines in 2027. While other brands including Bentley, Mercedes-Benz and Volvo have laid out roadmaps to take them toward an all-electric future, Alfa Romeo has yet to make a hybrid, although a plug-in hybrid version of the upcoming Tonale SUV is expected to reach dealers this year.
When it arrives, the vehicle will be the brand’s fourth SUV, as the Stellantis brand currently sells the Stelvio, which launched in 2017, the Tonale which goes on sale this year, and an even smaller SUV scheduled for 2024.
While not confirmed, online reports suggest it might be named Brennero. Whether that model would be sold in the U.S. remains to be seen, as it uses the eCMP electric architecture used for vehicles not sold in America, including the Peugeot e-208, e-2008, Opel Corsa-e, Mokka-e, DS3 Crossback E-Tense and Citroën ë-C4.
Despite the flood of SUVs wearing the Alfa Romeo badge, it will not exclusively sell SUVs, meaning a new Guilia is coming, most like as a battery-electric sedan.
What’s around the corner
While the 2023 Tonale went into production in March, it has yet to reach these shores, but should later this year. Reports suggest the Italian automaker hopes to sell 10,000-15,000 units stateside. The plug-in hybrid delivers more than 30 miles of electric range, and 272 horsepower. All-wheel drive is standard. The new vehicle uses a heavily revised version of the similarly sized Jeep Compass platform, which underpins some of Jeep’s most popular vehicles in Italy.
Alfa Romeo is also launching a new Estrema trim, which builds on the brand’s Veloce trim but add something of real value: the Alfa Active Suspension and other driving dynamics technology from the Quadrifoglio. But it shares its all-aluminum, 2.0-liter direct-injection turbocharged engine with Alfa’s Sprint, Ti, and Veloce models.
“Estrema models benefit from continuous dynamics and weight collaboration with Alfa Romeo’s F1 Team ORLEN to get the most out of Formula 1 know-how,” the company said, but didn’t provide any further details upon its reveal late last month.
Building market share in North America
But the company is hoping the Tonale and the company’s trim level additions will spark sales in the U.S. market. Alfa Romeo remains a small North American presence despite its legendary heritage.
In 2021, Alfa Romeo sold 18,240 vehicles in the U.S., down 1.8% from the 18,586 vehicles it sold in 2020, including 7,634 Giulia sedans, 77 4C sports cars, and 10,539 Stelvio SUVs. If that seems meager, it did outsell fellow Stellantis brands Chrysler at 16,677 units, Maserati at 7,615 units and Fiat at 2,374 units.
Source: The Detroit Bureau Read More


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By Caprice Lingerie has boosted the range of the cup sizes in its collection to a G cup.
From autumn 09 By Caprice Lingerie will feature the larger cup size in a bid to tap into a new customer and to service more demand for bigger sizes.
By Caprice Lingerie founder Caprice Bourret said: “There is now such a variation in average cup size for a UK woman that I wanted to expand the lingerie range to acknowledge this. “The increase will now give larger busted ladies a wider choice of colourful, sexy lingerie rather than the often limited colours and styles available in the larger cup sizes.”
The By Caprice Lingerie autumn 09 collection will also feature a number of new styles including Cosmic, a black padded plunge bra with mauve sparkle detail, ruffled bows, and matching thong, and Buckle Up, a padded halterneck plunge bra in pink and black with matching shorts.
Best selling styles including Fleur and Electra will feature new colourways for autumn, and the Can Can style will be available in a body for the first time.


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A screen that can quickly sustain damage that is difficult to repair. Batteries that lose the ability to sustain a charge over time.
These are some of the unfortunate issues that can occur with the current crop of smartphones.
However, two new studies propose novel techniques for improving these features by harnessing the properties of graphene.
Scientists from the University of Sussex devised a method that could yield new smartphone touch screens that are more durable than previous iterations.
Indium tin oxide is the current element used to manufacture phone screens. The indium component is a rare metal that can be ecologically damaging to extract. Silver has been viewed as the best alternative to indium tin oxide, but is also expensive.
The researchers from the University of Sussex were able to create a new hybrid material comprised of silver nanowires and graphene, by gathering a layer of graphene atoms and placing them on top of the silver nanowire in a pattern.
The end result is a ‘stamp’ made from poly(dimethyl siloxane), which is the same kind of silicone rubber used in kitchen utensils and medical implants.
“While silver nanowires have been used in touch screens before, no one has tried to combine them with graphene. What’s exciting about what we’re doing is the way we put the graphene layer down. We float the graphene particles on the surface of water, then pick them up with a rubber stamp, a bit like a potato stamp, and lay it on top of the silver nanowire film in whatever pattern we like. “And this breakthrough technique is inherently scalable. It would be relatively simple to combine silver nanowires and graphene in this way on a large scale using spraying machines and patterned rollers. This means that brittle mobile phone screens might soon be a thing of the past,” said Professor Alan Dalton from the school of Maths and Physical Science at the University of Sussex, in a statement.
Essentially, this ‘potato-stamp’ technique yielded a new material that is cheaper, less brittle, and more environmentally friendly.
Findings from this study appeared in the journal Langmuir.
Better battery charging
Engineers at the University of Waterloo explored how adding graphene could boost the performance of supercapacitors, which are considered to be a promising green alternative to traditional batteries. Some of the proposed benefits of this power source include faster charging and better safety and reliability.
One drawback is that these machines have relatively low storage capacities. Existing supercapacitors can only retain energy for about 10 percent as long as rechargeable batteries.
The team of scientists from the University of Waterloo found a way around this issue, by coating atomically thin layers of graphene with an oily liquid salt in supercapacitor electrodes.
Adding the salt to this mixture served two crucial roles.
The first was that it acted as a spacer to separate the thin graphene sheets, dramatically increasing its exposed surface area and therefore maximizing the energy-storage function. Also, the salt served as the electrolyte needed to actually store the electrical charge, reducing the size and weight of the supercapacitor.
Ultimately, this novel design was able to roughly double the amount of electrical energy that the rapid-charging devices can hold, potentially becoming convenient and reliable power sources for a number of consumer devices, including laptops and smartphones.


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A strip mall around the corner from where I used to live has three fast-food options.
One of them is Subway, which for the most part is relatively empty. The other is a Five Guys, which had lines out the door its first couple weeks after opening but has since tapered off.
The third fast-food joint is Chipotle (NYSE: CMG). That had long lines from day one. Lately, those lines have been growing longer.
It’s one Vermont man’s anecdotal evidence of Chipotle’s popularity. But I think it’s a microcosm for what’s happening nationally.
Fast food is a $191 billion industry in America. Forty-four percent of Americans eat at a fast-food restaurant at least once a week. Another 34% eat fast food at least twice a week. Six percent eat fast food at least once a day on average.
It’s only getting worse. By 2018, U.S. fast-food spending is expected to reach $210 billion. And we wonder why obesity has become an epidemic in this country. But that’s another topic for another day.
As a human being, those numbers may disgust you. As an investor, they should entice you.
Like it or not, fast food is big business. More importantly, it’s a growing business. To get a piece of that growth, it’s not a bad idea to own a fast food stock in your portfolio.
The Top Fast Food Stocks
McDonald’s (NYSE: MCD) has long been the popular fast-food choice of most investors – particularly income investors. It’s the largest fast-food chain in the world, with $27.6 billion in global sales in 2013. Historically, it has also been far and away the best-performing fast-food stock. If you bought McDonald’s shares in 1970, you’d be sitting on a return of better than 28,000%.
But McDonald’s greatest period of growth is clearly behind it. The stock is basically flat in the last year as global sales growth has slowed. Analysts are actually expecting a decline in earnings per share this year. Despite the 3.4% yield and the company’s 37-year history of annually growing its dividend, McDonald’s doesn’t hold the appeal it once did.
Burger King (NYSE: BKW), McDonald’s biggest rival, isn’t the answer, either. BK’s returns have been impressive since it went public again a little over two years ago, and it is growing earnings at a 19% clip. But the company has far more debt than cash, declining sales and, as my colleague Steve Mauzy put it, has a reputation for being “a plaything for financiers.”
Wendy’s (NYSE: WEN) has many of the same problems as Burger King, with revenues declining 19.5% last quarter and its debt outpacing its cash by nearly four to one. Plus, the stock has been sputtering of late, down more than 5% in the last year.
Which brings me back to Chipotle.
No fast-food stock has a better combination of earnings growth (25.5% year over year, with another 27.5% increase expected in 2015) and revenue growth (28.6%). It’s the only major fast-food company with zero debt, not to mention $804 million in cash.
Chipotle doesn’t pay a dividend and its $649 share price is enough to send sticker shock up your spine, which hopefully means that a stock split is imminent. But at a time when sales at most of the other big-name fast-food companies are either stagnating or backtracking, Chipotle’s are steadily growing.
Even after rising 53.5% in the last year, Chipotle stock looks like a good long-term investment. In an increasingly crowded fast-food landscape, Chipotle continues to find ways to stand out.
Especially in my old neighborhood.
*Full disclosure: I do not currently own shares of Chipotle (NYSE: CMG).
How the iPhone 6 unveiling impacts mobile
Tim Cook wrote, “iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus — which are the biggest advancements in iPhone history…” after unveiling the most technologically advanced phone on the planet with cautious estimates have them selling 200 million of them. While we love Apple, we’re recommending a much less known company today…a company no one is talking about. A company that provides the technology, without which, smartphones couldn’t exist. Click here for the full story.


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Big technology companies are doubling down on New York City by adding millions of square feet in office space and creating thousands of new jobs, with few aftereffects from Amazon.com Inc.’s nixing of a Queens headquarters.
Alphabet Inc.’s Google last week closed a deal to lease 1.3 million square feet in lower Manhattan, part of Google’s plans to add 7,000 in staff to the city over 10 years.
Walmart 4th of July Rollbacks - Best deals on top picks
- Best Buy:
Save 15% or more on the Best Buy deal of the Day
- The Home Depot:
4th of July Sale: 43% off marble double trough sink vanity
Wayfair 4th of July Sale: Best deals of the season
Nike Independence Day Savings: Up to 60% off hot summer gear
- Dick's Sporting Goods:
10% off sitewide - Dick's Sporting Goods coupons


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Google Spruces Up Mobile Advertising for Brand Marketers
Mobile advertising is showing strong growth, but Google isn’t taking anything for granted. The search engine giant is working to make its mobile advertising paradigm more attractive to brand marketers.
Specifically, Google is getting ready to roll out new mobile display ad formats and tools across the Google Display Network, the AdMob Network and DoubleClick that promise to make it easier for advertisers to build what the company deems “successful ads” that work across screens.
Jonathan Alferness, Director of Product Management for Mobile Display Ads at Google, noted that mobile devices offer a new canvas for advertisers to connect with consumers, but painting on this canvas has not always been easy.
“Many marketers started out by shrinking down their existing display ads for mobile, but this didn’t always make for a great consumer experience,” Alferness said. “They also discovered that frequently their existing display ads were not able to run on mobile devices or on mobile browsers. But now, a new generation of display ads is changing how advertisers engage with consumers on mobile devices.”
Exploring New Ad Formats
With that in mind, Google made its announcements. One of the most interesting new display ad formats coming to market in the next few months are mobile lightbox engagement ads that leverage existing brand assets to create engaging rich media ads in HTML5. Alferness explained the ads will dynamically resize to fit any ad size and advertisers only pay when users engage.
Although TrueView ads have already been running on gaming apps in the AdMob network, Google will roll out these units in more apps in the coming months. TrueView lets advertisers reach consumers while they engage with their favorite apps -- and advertisers only pay when users choose not to skip their ads.
As its name suggest, with the anchor ad format the ad stays anchored to the bottom of the screen when a user scrolls down the page. Users can dismiss the ads at any time. Finally, the magazine-style text ad format that was first launched for mobile Web sites is now available as an interstitial in-app format for the AdMob network that Alferness said brings the glossiness of print magazine ads to the ease and practicality of text ads.
A Key to Growing Revenue
Google also rolled out new tools to make existing ads mobile-ready, which will be available over the coming months. Three new tools convert existing ads into versions that look good on multiple screens and devices: an auto-resizing tool for the Google Display Network; Flash-to-HTML5 conversion tools for the Google Display Network and DoubleClick Campaign Manager; and the ability to build HTML5 and in-app rich media ads quickly with 20 new templates.
Greg Sterling, Vice President of Strategy & Insights at the Local Search Association, told us getting more brand dollars into mobile -- not just direct response money -- is a key to growing revenue not just for Google but for the industry as a whole.
“Mobile is a great branding medium but hasn't been used that way by most advertisers,” Sterling said. “Indeed, there's a gap between consumer adoption of mobile and marketers' ability to match and capitalize on that behavior.”
Posted: 2014-10-03 @ 11:33am PT
How is this any different from what Airpush and other ad networks better than AdMob have already been doing more effectively for a long time now?
Posted: 2014-10-02 @ 5:07pm PT
Spruce up? More like "effectively imitate" what better ad networks like Airpush, MM, and Tapjoy have been doing for a long time now. Google doesn't innovate in mobile ads any more. It catches up by following the lead of others.


text:
Small hospitality businesses struggling to access grants
11 May 2021 by Sophie Witts
Many small hospitality businesses in England fear they are falling through the cracks of government support due to difficulty in accessing grants.
Benares team to launch street food restaurant at Camden Market
23 July 2020 by Katherine Price
The team behind Benares fine dining restaurant in London’s Mayfair is set to launch street food restaurant the Indian Alley at Camden Market next month.


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Many readers are already aware that the crypto market is ridden with elements of volatility. One day the price of a single Bitcoin may be $20K and the very next day its value may drop by over 5%.
Knowledge of current events within this market sector is a must— especially if an individual is a cryptocurrency investor or day-trader.
One should also bear in mind the fact that most dips and rallies are a direct consequence of positive or negative news surrounding a digital asset. Thus, for smartphone users, the excuse that “I was not aware” simply doesn't cut it.
Best Mobile Apps For Cryptocurrency News & Updates
In this article, we will take an in-depth look at some of the best news apps that have been designed to gather pertinent stories associated with Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin and all of the other major crypto players available in the market today.
So without any further ado, let's get into it..
1. Crypto Dev — All Crypto News
The name pretty much spells out everything one needs to know about this platform. The app is an excellent source for aggregating the most relevant news pieces pertaining to the world of crypto in one place.
In terms of its functionality, the app allows users to select certain news articles which then automatically tailor our reading preferences and habits. Additionally, All Crypto News makes use of a wide array of legitimate news sources, thereby allowing us to access the best crypto data through our handheld devices.
Lastly, All Crypto News has been designed to keep track of certain fiat currencies such as:
To download the app, users can visit the Android Play Store and follow the instructions outlined there.
2. Delta Forces — Cryptocurrency News And Tips
This powerful tool is designed exclusively for android smartphones. It comes packed with over 30 relevant news sources all of whom can be accessed with the simple touch of a button.
Additionally, the developers of this app have installed a special notification module that enables users to receive updates in real-time. This helps us stay informed as well as allows us to make wiser investment choices.
Lastly, one of the most underrated features of the Cryptocurrency News and Tips App is that it lets us know about active ICOs and other crypto projects that are scheduled to go live soon.
3. Ivo Stoyanov— Cryptocurrencies: Prices, News, Portfolio
One of the best and most trusted apps in the market today. Ivo’s currency tracker is designed to allow users to receive:
- Up-to-date coin prices
- Current/Breaking news events
- Personal portfolio value tracking.
Also worth mentioning is the intuitive UI of this platform which is easy to operate and also allows customers to seamlessly toggle between three different sections of the product.
In terms of its core features, the app comes loaded with a:
- Cryptocurrency price tracker and ranker (market cap)
- Portfolio manager
- Altcoin viewer— all one has to do is enter the name of the desired currency and pertinent information related to the coin is displayed on one’s screen
- Live asset module
- Online reader that derives news pieces from sources such as CryptoCoinNews (CCN), Coindesk, Cointelegraph, BitcoinExchangeGuide.
As a result of the aforementioned features, users are able to receive updated market prices, thereby allowing them to make smart value based decisions.
Lastly, the app is absolutely free and comes with no hidden charges. It can be downloaded from the Google Play Store easily and the installation process should take no more than 2-4 minutes.
4. CADO Team — Crypto Crunch
Crypto Crunch is one of the most revered and highly rated crypto apps on the internet today. It not only covers a host of popular cryptocurrency news but provides users with breaking stories that are derived from Twitter handles, Reddit, Telegram, Discord and other modern social media channels.
Some of the other core features of this app include:
- Instant cryptocurrency news updates
- Real time alt-coin price tracking
- Insightful cryptocurrency market analysis from top industry experts.
Owing to the aforementioned features, Crypto Crunch is perfect for day traders, investors and other casual enthusiasts as it provides them with cryptocurrency data from best and most trusted news sources.
Lastly, it helps traders avoid common mistakes by allowing them to receive first-hand information that is backed by citable sources. To download the app, users can visit the Google Play store and follow the instructions outlined there.
5. ZGTech — CryptoCoin News and Events
CryptoCoin News much like all other quality news aggregators provides users with up-to-date info from some of the most trusted news sources on the planet.
Additionally, the app also tracks
- Live twitter updates from respected altcoin analysts in the market.
- Live price charts of various cryptocurrencies.
- Detailed accounts of different upcoming ICOs.
6. TooDoo Studios — Cryptocurrency Market Data App
This is another highly recommended app that many crypto users seem to be excited about. It comes loaded with “trigger” features that enable users to set defined market prices so that they can get the best possible trade deals.
Owing to its various unique exchange modules, this app is perfect or day-traders as well as bulk investors.
Apart from alerting users about live token price changes, the app also aggregates relevant news pieces from all across the web in real-time.
7. Marwaha Labs — Bitcoin News & Cryptocurrency News by Marwaha Labs
Introduced into the market last year, this app provides customers with all of the latest updates taking place within the cryptoverse. It makes use of a live news-feed that is connected to media portals associated with Bitcoin and other alternative cryptocurrencies.
Additionally, the app presents users with well-arranged news headlines so that users can scan through live news without having to go through each article separately.
It also filters out viewed items from unread updates, thus allowing us to avoid repeated news stories. Other than that, the app also delivers:
- Detailed analysis of cryptocurrency prices and daily volumes.
- Live asset tracking
8. PIIYM Labs — Cryptonomy Crypto Tracker
Referred to online as a “one-stop app” for all our cryptocurrency needs, Cryptonomy provides users with a wide range of information pertaining to alt currencies.
It gathers news from specialised sources including
- Discussion Forums
- Trusted websites such as BitcoinExchnageGuide, CoinTelegraph etc.
When using the app, customers will find that in addition to providing them with live news and price updates, Cryptonomy also delivers educational pieces related to:
- Cryptocurrency investments
- Blockchain Technology etc..
Also, the design of this app is extremely pleasing to the eye and allows users to easily navigate through different sections contained within the platform.
Lastly, Cryptonomy allows users from all across the globe to come together and interact with each-other via its social media portal. To acces cryptonomy visit
9. All Tech Media — CryptoFisher
This app is geared towards providing users with cryptocurrency news organized as per different categories. What this means is, if one is interested in reading about Ethereum, this app will provide all of the news that is available in relation to that cryptocurrency under one heading.
It should also be noted that CryptoFisher is quite easy to use and non-resource intensive. The app comes with a push notification feature that alerts users promptly when a viral update is posted online.
10. Mdev EU — Bitcoin News
Last but not least, we have Mdev’s Bitcoin News app.
One can think of this product as a crypto filter that weeds out breaking stories and other trending news articles related to the crypto domain.
Additionally, the app also comes with a ticker that follows real-time activities associated with BTC, ETH, and ZEC. From the standpoint of news aggregation, the app frequently updates its stories from sources like Bitcoin.com, Coin News Asia, Coin Telegraph, etc
It is also worth mentioning that Bitcoin News automatically stops live updates as and when our battery performance dips beyond a certain point. This helps us conserve our power and promotes maximum smartphone usability.
While the above mentioned platforms provide users with quality news, it should be mentioned that many of these platforms also come loaded with a lot of promotional content that is usually paid for by interest groups.
When choosing an app, one should look at its core features and then decide which one to go with.
Ultimately, the decision to make an investment lays with us and no news app can be trusted 100% in this regard.
Bitcoin Volumes Finally Grow Again and Bitfinex/Tether Issues Spark Systemic Risks, New Diar Report Affirms
Diar has recently published its report of the crypto market for April. According to the company, Bitcoin volumes are finally growing again and the whole situation with Tether and Bitfinex showed the industry some of its systemic risks. DAI fee hikes and stablecoin projects were also highlighted in the report.
Bitcoin Goes Back To Growing Again
The main highlight of the month is, obviously, that Bitcoin is back on the action. After facing lows which started in 2018, the token has finally been able to effectively reverse the trends and have an actual price surge this month, going from less than $4,200 USD to over $5,200 USD during this short timeframe.
With this, the number of on-chain transactions has spiked for three months in a row, since prices started to get some of their value back in March and April. Now, transaction volumes are around their levels in June 2018 when the price of the asset was around $7,000 USD.
However, charts indicate that Bitcoin is yet to find more footing outside of speculative trading, so the bull market may not be as near as some think.
When looking at the volume of the whole quarters, Q1 2019 had lower volumes than Q4 2018, but Q2 2019 started considerably well.
Bitfinex and Tether Start Concerns of Systemic Risks
As you may have heard, Bitfinex was accused of using Tether funds to cover up its losses. According to Diar, there is a 26% shortfall of in-cash reserves to back Tether tokens (USDT). Tether loaned $850 million USD to Bitfinex to cover up losses and its general counsel Stuart Hoegner has affirmed that the company is operating with fewer reserves than the total market cap of the token.
This happened because Bitfinex had the $850 million USD “seized” by Crypto Capital, one of its payment processors. Unless Hoegner is lying, though, the company had the assets to back the stablecoin until recently.
While it is clear now that Tether simply does not have the money to back the funds, people simply keep buying the tokens. Now, instead of all cash, some shares of Bitfinex are being used to represent the rest of the value, which makes the stablecoin enter securities territory for the first time.
Curiously, the markets are all very tolerant now since the prices are still stable but the systemic risks are clear, especially if other companies are to follow Tether’s path.
DAI Hikes Fees Once More
Another situation highlighted by the reports is that DAI has decided to upgrade its stability fees once again as the community is desperately trying to make the prices of the so-called stablecoin go up again. DAI tokens are being sold for less than $1 USD, their official price, on secondary markets.
At the moment, the fees are 16.5%, after increasing three times in only one month. Before April, the fees were only 7.5%. This has resulted in a decrease of 4.9% in the circulation of DAI tokens.
Stablecoins Eye Wider Use Cases
Gemini and Harbor, a A16Z tokenized securities platform, have started a partnership in order to get more clients for the Harbor stablecoin. However, this was deemed “too soon” by Diar, as Harbor does not have any known token right now. The only one the company had was canceled.
TrustToken is also trying to get more stablecoins on its list, especially the ones that are not focused on USD, but on several other fiat currencies like HKD, CAD or GBP instead.
#DropGold Campaign to Hit Your TV, Here’s A Breakdown of the Underlying Bitcoin Message(s)
Grayscale, a leader in digital currency investing, launched an ad on Wednesday, May 1, telling investors that money should be contributed to Bitcoin holdings as opposed to gold. In a number of interviews, CEO of Grayscale’s parent company (Digital Currency Group), Barry Silbert and Managing Director of Grayscale, Michael Sonnenshein, have since expressed the underlying message of the ad.
The #DropGold Ad
According to news outlet, U Today, the ad starts off with a man holding gold bars in his arm, which he decides to drop. While doing so, a woman also does the same. Throughout the ad, people supposedly have their gold bars stacked in shopping carts, while “losing their gold coins.” Watching what’s about to unfold, the two individuals try to find their way out.
Advertising Bitcoin or Grayscale’s Services?
Despite being the one to have introduced this campaign, Silbert argues that it isn’t entirely about Grayscale services, but rather said services being a result of consumers’ decision. Yahoo Finance has since quoted the following comment made by Silbert himself:
“We do not see this as a Grayscale commercial. For us #DropGold is our ‘Got Milk’. This campaign is first and foremost focused on starting a conversation about bitcoin vs gold. If the ad makes people want to get into Bitcoin, we’re completely indifferent about how they go about doing it.”
Having said this, the commercial is evidently portraying Grayscale as an option, as towards the end, one is told, “Go Digital. Go Grayscale.”
Silbert’s and Sonnenshein’s Arguments Regarding Gold’s Limitations
Silbert believes that this campaign works towards addressing the fact that Bitcoin can serve as an equal asset class as gold, if not better. In particular, he was quoted saying, “But now you have Bitcoin, which, in our opinion, provides all the same attributes as gold – it’s fungible and scarce and you can’t counterfeit it – but the big difference is that Bitcoin has utility. Gold doesn’t have much utility beyond jewelry.”
He further argued that the goal here isn’t to replace fiat currency for shopping purposes, but rather to show the world that Bitcoin does a better job at doing gold’s job and this will be evident in the long run. Although he has acknowledged Bitcoin’s volatility as being concerning, he is hopeful that it will one day serve as both an ideal utility token and store of value.
As for Sonnenshein’s viewpoint, he sees this ad as revealing the “absurdity” associated with gold. More specifically, he said:
“We’re going after a narrative around gold being where investors should go when markets turn south or as a hedge against inflation […] we’re highlighting the absurdity of gold.”
As per The Block Crypto, Grayscale also tries to convince investors that the return earned from redistributing 5% of gold to Bitcoin will be greater than 5% yearly.
What are your overall thoughts on this ad? Did it leave you asking yourself, “Why did you invest in gold? Are you living in the past?” Share your thoughts below!
Huobi Pro Bitcoin Exchange: Cryptocurrency Asset Trading Platform?
Huobi Pro Cryptocurrency Exchange
Founded in 2013, Huobi Pro allows for a myriad digital currencies to be exchanged, at a 0.2 percent trading commission. Loyal users point to the low fees and stellar service that make the exchange stand out above others.
Although pitched at dedicated cryptocurrency enthusiasts since the site doesn’t accept fiat currencies many who enter the realm on the back of fiat end up at Huobi Pro, largely due to its diverse offering and favorable fee structure.
Huobi Pro in A Nutshell
A victim of China’s clampdown on digital currencies, the company might be registered in the Seychelles, but was originally founded in Beijing. As testament to the broad appeal of the platform, after the Chinese regime effectively banned all things crypto at the beginning of 2018, trading volumes have only grown.
While at first very much a Chinese company looking at the home market, Huobi Pro has been forced to find a wider marketplace on the international scene. Indeed, even prior to the official cessation of altcoins and their trading, the company heard the rumblings in 2017 and took its cryptocurrency interests abroad.
Huobi now provides exchange services to users in over 130 countries. Company offices are located in the USA, Korea, Japan, Singapore and Hong Kong. Although the Huobi Group also owns and manages the Huobi Autonomous Digital Asset Exchange (HADAX), Huobi Pro is more of a pure “login and trade” exchange.
Users can employ network tokens to cast votes on adding new altcoins on HADAX. On the Huobi Pro exchange, a simplified offer encompassing all of the mainstream altcoins greets visitors. Some more popular coins offered are Bitcoin (BTC), Bitcoin Cash (BCH), Ethereum (ETH), Litecoin (LTC), NEM (XEM), NEO (NEO), Qtum (QTUM) and Ripple (XRP).
That said, when one actually tallies the number of altcoins available for exchange, it becomes apparent why loyal followers value the site. A marriage of both simple ease of use and diversity in trading, the platform is largely welcomed by newcomers and experienced enthusiasts alike. In the current melee of regulation being contemplated, implemented and tweaked all the while, some users may be precluded from trading on the exchange based on their country of residence.
Huobi Pro accepts the funding of accounts only in digital currencies, and accepts deposits in any of its listed altcoins. Unlike other exchanges that have opted for a midway between crypto and fiat, Huobi Pro traders deal strictly in digital coins at every point of a transaction. Funds need to be withdrawn to a wallet, and fiat users looking to buy in will have to establish a wallet first in order to fund their Huobi Pro trading account.
Traders pay a maker or taker fee of just 0.02 percent using the exchange. There are more detailed offers, worth looking at for daily traders with volume.
Huobi Pro Membership Levels
VIP users get preferential platform trading fees if they buy the privilege with Huobi tokens. The Huobi Token (HT) was never an ICO token, but rather a system token that users only obtain by buying “Point Cards” on the Huobi Pro platform. Point Card is essentially a pre-paid Huobi card that keeps users liquid on service fees. One HT = 1 USD, therefore one “point” = 1 USD. The more points purchased, the more free points are added, although savings on 1000 points, for example, means only 10 HT for free.
Huobi Global minted a fixed total of 500 million tokens, with 300 million employed to facilitate the in-house VIP structure. A mark of the business group behind the platform is seen in their practice of buying back-sold tokens from the open market each quarter. Not only that, but those funds go towards the Huobi Investor Protection Fund (HIPF).
This is a planned fund that will compensate investors who suffer platform disruption and subsequent losses. It’s a tool that minimizes risk, smooths out the market overall and also goes towards protecting investor interests. This transparent and pleasing aspect of the platform is one reason traders have confidence in the exchange, and its popularity is rising worldwide.
By way of example, in order to glean a VIP status, a trader will pay 120 HT a month for First Level membership. This enables a 20 percent discount on trading fees. Running through toward the top end, a pricier option of 6,000 HT a month secures a 50 percent discount on fees. Overall, a diligent trader can optimize the system and come out with a substantial discount on the already low 0.02 percent base offer.
The company charges no fees to deposit funds, but there are withdrawal fees. Although there are reviews online listing withdrawal fees, it appears that, especially within the membership structure, users are advised to ascertain exact fees when establishing their account. Likewise, transfer limits need to established upfront to avoid disappointment later. There exist order size limits on the platform too, again becoming more malleable as one moves up the ranks of the VIPs.
Security And UX On Huobi Pro
All of the standard protocols including two-step Google Authenticator verification are at play on the platform. Unlike many other exchanges that offer a simple crypto-exclusive platform, Huobi Pro will need your personal details in the form of a passport copy and chat room comments are not devoid of complaints, although almost all of them take issue with the structure of the platform and its potential pitfalls. There are few allegations of lost funds or other negligence on behalf of the company. On the whole, Huobi Pro seems to be rubbing off its decidedly corporate ethos onto the exchange – good news for traders overall.
Another serious boon for the cryptosphere as a whole is that over 98 percent of holdings are stored in an offline cold wallet or vault. Imbued with a strict customer service ethic, the platform probably sports the best customer service to date for crypto exchanges. Available 24/7 365, there is a live chat option onsite.
The platform intel is sufficient although newbies might have to scratch to paint a clear picture of how exactly everything works. The FAQs are thoughtful and, again, testament to a polished offering. Huobi used to be one of the biggest Chinese crypto exchanges, based in Beijing. Started by entrepreneur Leon Li in 2013, since the move there has been mutual appreciation of its value. Worldwide users have taken to the exchange, as it too realized that it had global appeal.
Huobi Pro Conclusion
Huobi claims to have exceeded BTC 500,000 in daily trading approaching 2014. Although only in its fifth year, that’s a long time in cryptocurrency. Although frequently accused of embellishing trading volumes, these allegations have never been proven. In comparison to other digital exchanges that have suffered persistent user complaints and even been shut down due to criminal activity, Huobi Pro shines.
As an offering, it has low fees, great diversity and an unbeatable crypto-energy. No trader on the platform feels like they’re missing out on something else somewhere else, by most accounts. Possibly due to their prior involvement in the fintech world, the platform got it right first time around and user numbers prove it. The company Huobi also owns another trading platform, BitYes, more focused on USD/BTC and USD/LTC pairs trading. Great customer service and minimal technical glitches have made it appear positively top-tier, again in comparison to less polished outfits.
With a detailed offering, great client liaison – very unusual for most digital exchanges so far – and no legitimate proof of anything even vaguely dark hanging about them, the Huobi Pro project is recommended. Users are advised to always ascertain costs prior to trading – not hard with the customer support in this case – and sample a platform with small trades before trading greater amounts. To learn more, you can head to their official website: huobi.pro